This Roadmap is designed to
provide prospective applicants with information to help them decide whether and
how to apply for a position with the incoming administration.
1) Understand the difference between a
political appointment and a career position in the Federal government.
a) What is a political appointment?
At the beginning of a new Presidential administration, the
incoming President makes important personnel changes. These changes include
selecting new Cabinet secretaries, agency heads, ambassadors, and other
government officials who support the President’s goals and policies. These
officials are responsible for formulating, advocating, and directing the
administration’s policies and programs. The White House Office of Presidential
Personnel manages the Presidential appointment process for all political
appointment positions.
b) How is a political appointment different from
a career Federal position?
The vast majority of the approximately
1.8 million executive branch civilian positions do not change with the incoming
administration. A Federal career employee’s position is based on a competitive
merit system. You can apply for a career position at anytime. If you are
interested in a career position in the Federal Government please visit http://www.usajobs.gov/
USAJOBS is the official job site of the United
States Federal Government. It’s your one-stop source for career Federal jobs
and employment information. The positions listed on USAjobs are NOT political
appointments.
c) What are the different categories of
appointed positions?
Most appointments end at the conclusion of
a Presidential administration. Some, such as judges, are lifetime appointments
while others, such as members of boards and commissions, are term appointments
for a specified number of years. There are four main types of political
appointments, each with a slightly different appointment process.
Presidential
Appointment Requiring Senate Confirmation (PAS) PAS positions are Presidential appointments made with the advice and
consent of the Senate. These are some of the most senior positions in the
Federal Government. They include Cabinet officers; heads of executive branch
agencies and departments; ambassadors; Federal judges, U.S. attorneys; and
chairpersons and members of boards, commissions, and committees.
Presidential
Appointment (PA) These positions may be
appointed by the President without Senate confirmation and may be removed at
any time. PAs are often found on Presidential appointed boards and commissions.
Non-Career
Senior Executive Service (NC-SES) The SES
includes most of the top managerial, supervisory, and policy positions in the
executive branch. Only 10 percent of SES positions may be filled by non-career
appointees. These appointees do not require Senate confirmation and may be
removed from their position at any time. All SES employees, including
appointees, must meet Executive Core Qualifications that are set by the Office
of Personnel Management.
Schedule
C Schedule C positions are the most common
type of political appointment. Schedule C appointees generally serve a key
official and are frequently found in the Office of the Secretary, Office of
Public Affairs, or Office of Congressional Affairs. All Schedule C appointees
are at the GS-15 level (pay level) or below and can be removed from their
position at any time. These appointments do not require Senate confirmation.
d) Not sure which path?
Research
the jobs using the Plum Book and Prune Book
2. Assess the
likelihood that you could be considered.
a) Do you have the right
qualifications?
Do you have relevant government, management, or
technical experience for this position?
How have your previous jobs or degrees prepared you
for this position?
Do you have the right subject matter expertise
(e.g., housing, health care)?
Do you have the right skills for this job function
(e.g., management, contracting, finance)?
Do some research to
find out how you compare to others who held the position previously. PrunesOnline provide insight
into many of the top positions within the Federal Government.
For PAS positions, the relevancy of
your experiences to the position and the strength of your network are of
paramount importance. Be sure that you are inclusive and accurate in sharing
all of your relevant experiences, skills, and qualifications. Furthermore, your
network of supporters will be critically important in advocating for your
nomination—be sure that you can count on them to help you.
b) How broad is your network?
Do you know people connected to the White House,
transition team, agency leadership, or Congress who will advocate for you?
Do you know people in special interest groups who
will advocate for you or try to block your appointment?
Consult your network
of supporters to get their insights on jobs that you are interested in
pursuing. Ask them to make calls or write letters of support on your behalf.
c) What is your connection to the
President-elect? Do any of the following situations apply to you?
I am/was a paid or volunteer campaign, transition,
or inaugural staff member.
I am/was a staff member of the winning political
party
I was a fundraiser or contributor to the campaign.
While it helps to
have answered yes to these questions, you are not automatically disqualified if
the answers are no. If you have had limited interaction with the new
administration, make sure to tap into your well-connected support network to
help justify your case.
3. Assess your
tolerance for public scrutiny.
a) Are you prepared to have your finances
dissected?
b) Are you prepared to have your friends, family,
and business associates questioned by law enforcement officials about your
behavior and character?
c) Is there anything that you have written (hard
copy or online) that might influence or affect your chances of being
considered?
Clean up your online
presence (e.g., personal blogs, Facebook, Linked-In, etc.) to ensure that
anything controversial is deleted. Conduct a web-search for your name (Google Yourself) to see what others can find
out about you. Be prepared to explain anything that might appear controversial.
d) Are you (and your family) prepared to cope
with potentially critically portrayals in the media? In the media spotlight, both
beauty spots and blemishes are exaggerated.
e) Are you prepared to take a position that
supports the administration’s viewpoint but that may upset special interest
groups with which you normally align?
4. Assess your
willingness to make personal sacrifices.
a) What will an appointment mean for my lifestyle
and work/life balance?
Most political appointees find the hours
long and the pace intense. It is important to consider how having an extremely
demanding job—and being in the public spotlight—might affect you
and your family’s lifestyle.
b) Am I (and my family) willing to live in the
D.C. metro area and can I/we afford to live there?
While some political appointments reside
in other cities, the majority are based in Washington, D.C. The Survivor’s Guide devotes a chapter to the
topic of moving to Washington, D.C
Additional information about housing,
schools, taxes, and other important considerations related to living in the
District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia can be accessed at the following
websites:
Washington, D.C.:http://www.dc.gov/
Maryland: http://www.md.gov/portal/server.pt?
Virginia: http://www.virginia.gov/cmsportal3/
c) Will I have to take a pay cut?
The Office of Personnel Management
provides a summary of current pay levels on its website.
5. Prepare for the
Application and Interview Process
a) Contact the transition
team and White House – Get Noticed
Remember, if you’re
being considered for a PAS position, NEVER talk to the press.
If you seem like a potential candidate,
the transition team and incoming administration will contact you and ask you to
apply online and fill out the necessary forms. However, there are far more
people seeking these jobs than positions available. You should be your own
strongest advocate to land a presidential appointment. Tap any connection you
may have, no matter how indirect.
b) Apply online through the
official transition website.
The online Office of the
President-Elect is now in place to provide prospective applicants with
information about applying for positions in the Obama-Biden Administration.
Some appointments
will be announced during the transition process; however the vast majority of
positions will be filled during the early part of the new Administration.
Applicants interested in any of the appointed positions - whether in the White
House or in any Federal Department, Agency or Commission - should follow the
instructions found on their official web site.
After January 20th
when President-Elect Obama takes office, the Office of Presidential Personnel
will clarify the official application process and is expected to issue new
forms, including the White House Personnel Data Statement.
c) Interview with the leadership
at the White House Office of Presidential Personnel and with the agency’s
Secretary or Deputy Secretary.
Prior to January 20th interviews will
be given by the transition team and after January 20th interviews will be given
by the White House Office of Presidential Personnel.
d) Fill out additional
paperwork.
Be prepared for
frustrating delays, especially when the FBI (or another investigative entity)
is conducting its background investigation.
Fill out forms
expeditiously. If you let them gather dust on your desk, you are delaying your
own appointment.
Be truthful and
accurate on all of your forms as you will be investigated by the Federal Bureau
of Investigation (FBI) or another Federal entity. Any lie will likely end your
Presidential appointment prospects.
If the transition team and incoming
administration is still interested in you, they will ask you fill out
additional forms depending on the position you are applying for, possibly
including (SF 86 & SF 278). The Survivor’s Guide provides
extensive insight into this process. Chapter
8 – Forms and Financial Disclosures.
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